Now that em2008 is over, we can start thinking about what we will do next year. There have been several suggestions, including returning to Kingsport, returning to the Phila area, Atlanta, and perhaps a few other places.

So let's hear your ideas and opinions. In particular we can only consider places where there is a suitable venue. Suitable means big enough for all of our activities, but also affordable. Other factors include travel accessibility and the ability to draw a local audience._________________www.gregwaltzer.com

Now that em2008 is over, we can start thinking about what we will do next year. There have been several suggestions, including returning to Kingsport, returning to the Phila area, Atlanta, and perhaps a few other places.

So let's hear your ideas and opinions. In particular we can only consider places where there is a suitable venue. Suitable means big enough for all of our activities, but also affordable. Other factors include travel accessibility and the ability to draw a local audience.

Hope you all had a good time in atlanta. My vote is returning to the Philly area!!!!!!!!!! I would love to meet you all for the first time._________________The most important gear is the brain behind the instrument.

I thought the Renaissance Center was fantastic, but I did hear that the lack of a international airport within taxi distance was an issue for some, and I also think it would have been better if there was a hotel within walking or bussing distance. Also there are not many fine exotic restaurants in the area.

I do not know though if there is a facility in Atlanta with those qualities though; I remember around the Atlanta olympics hearing they had little public transportation.

At some point, consider Asheville, North Carolina. It's one of the top two coolest cities in the US and the entire downtown is walkable and filled with art galleries, alternative bookstores, pubs, coffee shops, and funky progressive restaurants. And Moog is located there as well so it sort of makes sense. There is also a very strong and vibrant music scene.

I am going to vote for a return to Philly, in large part because I am hoping to get in collaboration with the music department in my new computer science teaching gig at Kutztown University, and I would love to bring some music and computer science students along next year. I was very happy about working with my son Jeremy on sound engineering at Kingsport, and the opportunity to expand that to some KU students would be greatest if it were to be held in the Philly or Allentown area.

I also met a new prof in the Fine Arts Department today who is very into video / audio work, and gave him the URLs to electro-music and Azimuth Visuals and Ruori and some other things, and he jumped on this as soon as he saw my electro-music 2008 program book come out at lunch.

I thoroughly enjoyed Kingsport, and I have close family 2.5 hours away in Blacksburg, VA, that I wouldn't mind visiting once a year, so that's fine with me. Since we have heard the positive points of Kingsport's Renaissance Center, I thought I'd just mention the downsides. This is not a gripe session, just a comparison of features. And, having sweated through many a session in the Cheltenham Gallery and also put up with the phasing caused by the big cooling fan there, I was very happy having air conditioning in the White Room.

Downsides:

1. No beer and no food on site. I got busted for an open beer -- a well-humored and friendly bust, but a bust nonetheless. It's a shame. I love Germany, and one of the things I love about Germany is that it's not a crime to take beer to a picnic in the park.

Needless to say, I kept the celebratory wine for after my performance out of sight.

2. Cheltenham spilled naturally into the outdoors setting, including people playing music, meeting new people over meals at the picnic tables, and Howard's boiled peanuts. I guess there were no boiled peanuts this year. That sort of sprawling, indoor/outdoor aspect of Cheltenham was very nice. People hanging out on the Cheltenham porch and yard, playing music or schmoozing.

3. We didn't have the second floor to ourselves, so we had to shut the door on the drum circle and other performances Saturday, and of course we had the TN Line Dancers over our heads in the White Room that evening.

I'd also REALLY like us to go back to the Fri-sat-Sun noon-to-midnight schedule. Cheltenham always hit the high energy level by Friday evening, and it didn't feel like we hit the same energy level until saturday at Kingsport. I am not the only person to notice this, that by Saturday the aggregate energy level was back to what we were used to. I think starting on Thursday evening, and the distance for incoming people on Friday, probably contributed to this.

Of course, I missed some great people from the Northeast who didn't come this year, but I met some great people from the Southeast, so that's even up!

I want to reiterate that this is not a gripe! In fact, I had my most personally satisfying year at EM08, largely because I got so involved with volunteering and finally performing. It was my most personally fulfilling EM so far! But, I did want to mention the aspects of of Cheltenham Arts Center and Philly that I missed.

Thanks again to everyone who worked and played so hard last weekend. It was a gas!_________________When the stream is deep
my wild little dog frolics,
when shallow, she drinks.

I'm really sorry to hear you ran into police problems for drinking beer in public, and I apologize on behalf of the locals. That sort of bizarre thing is a real embarrassment to this region. I didn't even realize you could get arrested for it, but I'm not surprised.

The adjacent county where I live was a dry county until recently. I drink beer on occasion, maybe a dozen a year, and I have learned that if I mention beer in any positive context to my cousins or acquaintances, it is the same to them as if I announced I had built a 75 foot tall statue of Baal and offered burnt sacrifices to it.

I'm really sorry to hear you ran into police problems for drinking beer in public, and I apologize on behalf of the locals. That sort of bizarre thing is a real embarrassment to this region. I didn't even realize you could get arrested for it, but I'm not surprised.

I need to clarify that by "busted," I didn't mean arrested. Technically, I was warned in a humorous manner that drinking beer in the facility is forbidden. I wasn't threatened in any way, and didn't feel threatened in any way. But, having been the official beer taster on opening day at EM07 -- we sold no beer until I pronounced the head to be at the proper level -- it seems a shame to have to hide it. Not a regional issue, really, it's a U.S. Puritanical issue, I think.

I really love TN, by the way! Went a 1/2 day out of my way home on my last driving trip out west in 2004 by taking the southern route, just so I could have lunch in downtown Nashville again after many years, and played the best banjo I have ever laid hands on in the guitar shop next door. My sister used to live south of Nashville when I was growing up, and I've gone out to music clubs with family living in Memphis as well.

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The adjacent county where I live was a dry county until recently. I drink beer on occasion, maybe a dozen a year, and I have learned that if I mention beer in any positive context to my cousins or acquaintances, it is the same to them as if I announced I had built a 75 foot tall statue of Baal and offered burnt sacrifices to it.

We discussed this in the Chat Room during my streaming duty Friday evening. Somebody said, "I'm surprised the analog guys don't riot without their beer!" The area in PA where I live is still about 50% ethnic German, and beers on the back porch is pretty standard fare.

There was some discussion of moonshine on the Chat as well. The Blacksburg-area shine is noted for its inclusion of local ginseng. Is there a NE TN moonshine flipside to the dry county aspect?_________________When the stream is deep
my wild little dog frolics,
when shallow, she drinks.

Bootlegging was important historically here. Knoxville was perhaps the largest trading and routing centers in the US, as important as Chicago during prohibition.

There's a house a half mile from here that had a still and it's not a house off on a mountaintop somewhere, but along what was the major highway at the time.

My great-great-aunt made shine, and rode a motorcycle nearly 100 years ago.

Our previous sheriff (a decent guy) had a picture of himself standing proudly next to a still on his office wall.

I know people who have a small bit left from a long ago as a historical curiosity they will show visitors, but never drink.

A bit south of here there was a famous moonshiner Popcorn Sutton. Very old guy. Arrested yet again and put in jail only this year. He may have been the last in this area.

Myself I make blackberry wine every year. Delicious and easy to make and it tastes something like Chardonnay, but I can't get anyone else to even smell it.

People tell stories and smile. But they are still opposed to beer and wine and consider both to be things that only the morally depraved would even look at. Many churches around here require congregants to sign contracts agreeing never to drink as a condition of being permitted to join the church. Preachers go on and on about how only unfermented grape juice was present at the last supper.

Back to the Renaissance Center, when it was proposed as a venue earlier this year, someone stated that they had checked and been told that drinking was allowed and they would even be able to sell beer. I'm sure that someone with the Center really did say that, knowing that if they said the truth, they'd be less likely to attract the festival. Things are like that. People tell you what they think you want to hear. It's kind of like Japan in that way, you have to watch for subtleties to tell when yes means no in this East Tennessee culture. I had not realized it was off for the event, I was thinking there really would be beer there and somehow things were more reasonable in Kingsport. When I saw no one had beer I first thought somehow it had just happened that no one that came drank, but then I noticed people were cautious about even water and soda and thought maybe carrying water around wasn't allowed, so I was a bit discrete about my water bottle, unsure of the rules.

It seems clear to me that it would be difficult to attract out of town business to such an event center when even beer is banned. I'm glad to hear it didn't cause you any legal problems, but it is still deeply embarrassing to the region.

It might be over the top as there are so much other things to organize, but i have liked if there where some sandwiches or salads or other simple food to buy. I did not have access to a car, and it was obvious that the "energy" in the meeting faded around 1-2 PM when people left for getting something to eat.
Some beer for sale would have lifted it all even more.
Per

you should have come to Chateau Sonore last year there was beer everywhere There was an appointed "beer master" (Mono-Poly aka Dennis) that every morning went down to the nearest village to get more beers and beers in Belgium are quite good _________________homepage - blog - forum - youtube

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Politics is the entertainment division of the military industrial complex - Frank Zappa

Back to the Renaissance Center, when it was proposed as a venue earlier this year, someone stated that they had checked and been told that drinking was allowed and they would even be able to sell beer.

Yes, that's what I remembered as well. When I arrived Thursday this was updated to "Be discrete about drinking a beer," which is why I was surprised that when I was eating a sandwich and drinking something that could have easily been root beer in a dark brown bottle, someone from Renaissance Center at the other end of the hallway saw a bottle, and went out of his way to walk down to an old grey-bearded guy (me) eating at the end of a day of work to check what I was drinking. I offered to dump it, but, having made his point, he just joked it off. At least I got to finish my meal.

seraph wrote:

Acoustic Interloper wrote:

Not a regional issue, really, it's a U.S. Puritanical issue, I think.

you should have come to Chateau Sonore last year there was beer everywhere There was an appointed "beer master" (Mono-Poly aka Dennis) that every morning went down to the nearest village to get more beers and beers in Belgium are quite good

I have heard rumors of Chateau Sonore 2009, and, if it happens, I am really going to try to make it. My wife Linda has never been to Europe, and I have friends that I'd like to visit in Bavaria, and maybe a conference (depending on timing).

Funny story about one of my Bavarian friends. It's June of 2004 and I am sitting in the main hall of a computer architecture conference in Munich waiting for the opening keynote speech. A young German academic-looking guy walks up to me and says, out of the blue, "Do you play the 5-string banjo?"!!! It turns out that he had interned at Bell Labs and had been part of a department that was dumped in the summer of 2003. I had played some banjo at that department's death party for one of its music fans who wanted to hear me, which is how the German guy knew me. But, he hadn't said much that day in 2003 at Bell Labs, so I didn't remember him until we talked a little. So, when he first walked up and said that at the conference, it took me completely by surprise. my reputation preceded me!

Someone at Chateau Sonore may have to lend me a 5-string banjo!

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beers in Belgium are quite good

Linda and I had our 33rd wedding anniversary dinner at a restaurant tucked away in the hills a few weeks ago, and I was drinking nut brown Belgian ale with my meal. Expensive, but very tasty!_________________When the stream is deep
my wild little dog frolics,
when shallow, she drinks.

I'm not against drinking, but there were several people at previous EM's that got stupidly drunk and obnoxious. We had more children (at least four) at this event than in the past, and I think that is a very good thing. Having them exposed to drunks perhaps is an educational experience, but I still believe adults should be role models, and I was glad there was no beer.

I agree about the Fri-Sun. sched., but the Renaissance Center closes at 4 or 4:30 on Sundays. That definitely is a negative. I also thought EM08 started to get up to speed on Sat. One other thing, in the South we start school around Aug. 11, unlike the North which starts in Sept. By starting EM while school is in session makes it difficult for those musicians who have children. Perhaps there might have been a few more people attending.

As far as an outdoor setting, I saw people having tailgate parties at the Renaissance Center. There was much more greenery than Cheltenham, but no picnic tables. Perhaps people spilled out into the greenery at Cheltenham was because it was incredibly hot inside. Parking was better at the Renaissance Center. In Cheltenham, some people had to park across the street. Motels were more expensive and further away at Cheltenham. Finding the art center and fighting the traffic was no joy. A plus at the Renaissance Center was the acoustics. The sound was never better, due to the acoustics and the new ambiophonic setup at the stage.

Having EM08 in the South gave the festival some new blood. I think our community has made many new friends and contributers. Because I had been to EM05 and 06, for me EM07 lacked freshness. 08 had a good balance of previous artists and workshops as well as a lot newer ones. Personally I think EM needs to travel and spread its influence. Having said that, I would hate to see it move to the West Coast, because I think it would lose some of the stalwart contributors. Perhaps Atlanta, Charlotte, Memphis, New York, Richmond, or Boston should be considered. Those of you in Philly are still within a day's drive to many venues on the East Coast. That's a big advantage that you have over many of us. Sure, it would be great to have the festival in your back yard (I certainly enjoyed it this year!), but for EM to grow, and for all of us to become inspired, we need to tap other parts of the country._________________Mark Mahoney
Kingsport, Tennessee
http://www.reverbnation.com/markmahoneywww.cdbaby.com/cd/markmahoneywww.cdbaby.com/cd/mmahoneympeckhttp://cdbaby.com/cd/mmahoneympeck2http://www.limitedwave.com/subterraneous/

i'm drinking and smoking as i type this, so keep that in mind as i say i wasn't bothered by the lack of either at this event. however either would have been welcomed by me, that's just the way i roll.

also, there may be a lack of exotic restaurants but if you're an exotic person one is inclined to appreciate and engage local colour of a variety of shades. i'm _still_ in the area a week on (staying in Bristol with a friend doing R&D) and i've only ate food i can have in IL twice my entire stay. if you didn't have any food here during your stay that you didn't have access to in your hometown then you simply aren't trying. unless you're from here ... obviously.

XJ Scott mentioned Asheville. i think that would be something worth investigating, especially if some sponsorship could be organised with Moog it would bring even more people. Asheville is a _very_ tourist friendly town and is well suited to things like this.

i had a great time and the only thing i feel bad about is not being able to experience more of it.

i didn't show up to this expecting to participate (i brought my gear for R&D work with Watson and don't expect the festival to have room for me to just set things up for display. it was a very very pleasant surprise.) if the festival is next year held somewhere i can drive to i will bring _more_ modular gear in more formats for public experimentation. there were a few (or many, i didn't talk to everyone) people who had never had face-time with an analogue modular synthesiser before sitting in front of my gear and i would love to provide that opportunity again.

if the festival is next year held somewhere i can drive to i will bring _more_ modular gear in more formats for public experimentation. there were a few (or many, i didn't talk to everyone) people who had never had face-time with an analogue modular synthesiser before sitting in front of my gear and i would love to provide that opportunity again.

Yes, that opportunity was obviously much appreciated by people in the demo room. Thanks for doing that!_________________When the stream is deep
my wild little dog frolics,
when shallow, she drinks.

I also would love to see it in Ashville. I'd love an excuse to just hang around that place for a while. Kingsport was nice, but if I'm kinda busy next year--I may opt not to go. However, if it's in Ashville, I'll probably go even if I have a lot of other things going on.

At this time, were actively looking into have the 2009 event is the San Fransisco East Bay area. It's too preliminary to give any details, but there are several "locals" looking into it. Genevieve lives in Oakland, very close to Amy X Neuburg, Dave Peck and others._________________--Howard
my music and other stuff

Columbia-Princeton is well known for the RCA synthesizer.
It would be ideal if they have a facility similar to the one in Kingsport.

Furthermore, we were well received at the Sarnoff Library and I'm sure that the college crowd would be just as receptive as the college crowd at the Rotunda in Philly.

Speaking of the Rotunda, how expensive would it be to use more than one space at the University in order to accommodate performances, demonstrations and jam sessions (like they do at the Bent Festival)?

I vote for Kingsport or Asheville. It would be great for electro-music to remain an east-coast festival. I think it could build a strong following in the eastern US if it remains in the area. Increases in travel costs and hassles will make it harder for some easterners to travel west and for some westerners to travel east. Swapping back and forth from east to west venues will not build a unified following as easily as it once did.

Kingsport was a good location for me. Several others from Altanta considered making the trip, but announcements for the festival came out so late that they already had other plans. I'd like to see the festival in Knigsport or Asheville next year, with earlier notice so that those with busy summer schedules can plan more easily.

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